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Posted February 27, 2015, 5:44 pm

Sanpete County man sentenced in elk poaching case

SANPETE COUNTY — A Sanpete County resident was recently sentenced in Sixth District Court for illegally killing several elk without a valid permit during the winter of 2013.

In January of 2013, while conducting a big game winter range patrol near the town of Mayfield, DWR officers located the fresh carcasses of two dead elk. Both elk had been shot and left in the field to waste. The officers began investigating the wasted elk and surrounding area.

Officers were able to collect evidence that another elk had also been shot in the same area, at the same time; however, that elk had been taken from the scene, without having been field dressed.

Investigating officers determined the elk had been illegally shot by Ron Bartholomew. Bartholomew had been given an elk landowner mitigation permit. This permit had been given to the landowner to harvest elk doing damage to their property. The permit was not issued to Bartholomew; therefore, he could not legally hunt and harvest an elk using the permit.

Bartholomew then hunted on public land that was not within the property boundary for which the permit had been issued. He illegally shot and killed three antlerless elk using the unlawful permit.

Charges were filed and Bartholomew ultimately plead guilty in October of 2014 to one count of Wanton Destruction of Protected Wildlife, a 3rd degree felony. Two other charges were dismissed in a plea bargain agreement. During sentencing proceedings earlier this month, Bartholomew was ordered to pay a fine of $950 and restitution in the amount of $2,250 to the Utah Help Stop Poaching Fund. He was also ordered to serve 26 days in the Sanpete County jail and two years probation. Bartholomew is also eligible for suspension of his hunting privileges through the DWR for this conviction.

Wildlife crimes in winter range areas can happen when the animals are most vulnerable and access to them is high. DWR officers encourage sportsmen and other wildlife enthusiasts to keep a close eye out for wildlife crimes when recreating in big game wintering areas. Violations can be reported to the UTIP Hotline at 1-800-662-DEER. Rewards are available for information that leads to the apprehension of those involved in wildlife crimes.